Single-trigger mechanism for firearms.



No. 245,490. Patented nec. 9, |902.

' c. F. LEFEvm SINGLE msnen MEcHANlsM Fon FmEARms.

(Application lcd Feb. 28, 1902.) (No Mode.)

f ulllluunlllmnnuu 1 A g im Ul'/ mi? Ilm .d i'

WITNESSES:

o4 TTORNE YS.

UNITED STATESA PATENT OFFICE.

cHARLEsF. L'EFEVER, or ySiria-nouer', NEW Yoann SINGLE-Tmccl-:n M EcHANlsM .Fon fiel-:amsns.

SPECIFICATION f 'erming part ef Lettere raten? Ne.'715,4eo, dated December e, 1902. vApplication led February 28, 1902., SeilalNo. 96,11-3. (No model.)

f To aZvZwzz/om it may concern:

` Beit known that I, CHARLES F. LEF'nvnR, of Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, in the Stateof New York, have invented new ands useful Improvements in Single-Trigger Mechanismffer Firearms, of which the following,

taken in .connection with 'the accompanying .y

drawings, is a full, clean-.and exact descripf prevent the accidental or premature discharge ofthe gun.

-Theprimary object of this invention-iste g f `A more specific object is to 'mount'thetrig-v-A gerimsuch Imanner that it is involuntarily' f 'i thrown out of action o'r rather out of connecj tion kwith the searftripping'nmechanismby the recoil of the gun upon its discharge.v

Another object is to monnt the pawlwhich" ,Q'svgoperates the searftripping' members 'in' such -manner that the recoil of the gnn. up`on its.f Ydischangealso automatically acts to throw' ."said. pawl temporarily out` of action during '-said recoil,l thereby doubly insuring the gun .3e from the simultaneous discharge of both barrels or the accidental discharge of one barrel 'immediately after the other due to the invol- .irntaryrocoih A still further object is to mount the trig- ,35' ger and the rotary soar-tripping deviceupon the same axis for the purpose of condensing tle mechanisms into as small a space as possible andalso for the purpose of increasing` :the eciency of action of the connterbalance 4ol't1igger and pawlmounted thereon as eected 5e Aand singleetrigger mechanism for controlling i Athe operationv of the hammers` Fig. A2ifss a side eler'ration,- partly'broken' away, ofv the `stantly:releases the finger-pressure .upon `the :parts seen in Fig. 1, the hammers being shown in their cocked position `nd the trigger as shown in its normal position. I Fig. 3 55- is a view similar to Fig."2;' showing one of the hammers and the trigger'mechanism in its fired position. Fig. 4 is a sectional'yiew taken on line 4 4, Fig. 3. Figs. 5,6, 7,- and 8 are perspective views respectivelyofthe detached trggerJheratchet or sear tripping device; theipawl for actuating 'saiddevice step -by step, land the stop-pawl for prevent- Aing retrograde movement of the ratchet. Fig. A 9 is a perspective view of oneof the detached 65 hamm'erlsears. Y .l 2

Similar referencelcharacters indicate lcorre,-

`.sponding parts -in all the views.

t Iam aware; that single-trigger mechanisms have been used; but-it is found that unless 7o` .some proyisionis made for preven ting the re; engagement ofzrthejtrigger mechanism with fthegfsearg'trippingdeVice'during the recoil of .'.thgunjupon lthe discharge of'one barrel the other barreljis .liable to (be discharged acci- Aden'tallygby the reaction from4 the' recoil. To yillustrate;iin'nediateiy after the discharge of 'one ofthe barrels of the gun with the finger upon the' trigger rthe, recoil of the gun in- 8o triggergthereby enabling said-trigger to rey turn to its operative position for releasing the sear which controls the hammer for theother barrel, and the .reaction which takes place immediately after the vrecoil in the opposite direction from the recoil produces an involuntary pull upon the trigger which causes the accidental discharge of the other barrel. It is this difficulty which I have sought to overcome by utilizing the recoil'tc force and to hold the trigger to its inoperative position. In carrying out the objects of my invention I preferably provide asingle trigger 1, a seartripping device'2,-`a pawl 3 for actuating the device 2, and a stop pawl or detent 4 for preventing the retrograde movement of the device 2. These parts constituting the essential elements of the single-trigger mechanismare mounted upon a suitable part of the gun, as j a trigger-plate 5. I also mount upon this xo: trigger-.plate hammers l6A and 7, springsl 8 for .actuatingthe hammers, and sears 9 for controlling the operation of the hammers 6 and -7. The hammers 6 and 7 ,springs S, andlscars ment to its iiring position.

also arranged in the recess 11 and is forced tor this forward and downward rn'oremeYA Q'may-be of any desired form, or construction adapted 'to be operated with glp-trigger meeliansm,l l

`The trigger 1 an, 'far-tripping device ar'iireferahy wenn. d :pon coinnion asis, is a spindle or pivotal bearing 10, the trigger 1 being provided with a recess 11.to receive the device 2 and is preferably provided with lower and opper exten ons 12 and 13, the lower extension projecting beneath the lower face of the trigger-plate and. is provided With a finger-engaging face 1li, and the upper extension 13 is countcrhalanced in such roannerfas To normally tilt forwardly and downwardly 'oy its own gravity, kln order to efect t or the appar end of the trigger, '1I preiterado*` 'ovide the sainjetwith a conn'terbalance 15, .thich is secured to the trigger in afplane above and forward .of .the pivot 10. This trigger is held in its operative position against the r "tiozifof the eonnterbalanceb'y suitable' ineens', as a light'spring 16, which is of snlicient tension to return the trigger to itsop'eratve'position after each ringlrnorenient j The soar-operating de vice preferably conssts of a ratchet-,Wheel having `separate sets of peripheral teeth 16 and 17, the teeth of one set being arranged opposite the spaces be` tween the teeth of the other set', so that snccessive teeth are alternately presented to actuate their respective sears.

" Thesesr for each hammer is provided with.r

a lateral projection 1S, Whichis normali] dis-= posed in the path of the forwardly-moving teeth of each set, so that asthe trigger is sncvcessively operated in the act of ring the gon irstone soar is actuated and then the other to release their respect-ive hammers. v

The pawl 3 for operating the ratchetdenvice 2 pivoted' at. its forward end .et to the trggerand pre'erao' n plane beneath the seL tripping device 2 and extends rearqrtrardlyTroni the pivotll. The upper edge or face of said pavri is provided with a shonl-l vder 20 for engaging the teeth 16 and 17 as they are successively presented to said shoulderby the successive movement of lthe trigger to its firing position.

in order to insure 'the positive release :of the pawl 3 when the senr-tripping mechanism or device 2 has 'been moved the distance of one tooth, the rear end of said pawl is adapted to'engage the lower face of the trigger-plate 5 as the trigger approaches the limit oi' moveits operative position in engagement with the teeth of thel scar-tripping device 2 oy 'aI suitable spring 21, which is interposed between said pawl and the adjacent wall of the recess 1l. In order to further reduce the liability of the accidental or premature'discharge of the 'gon by the recoil incidental to they dis# charge of one barrel, l provide the paWl 3 with a eounterbalance, which is arranged This pawl 3' is i F at therear of the pivot 19; but itr is evident that this coanterbalance may be eiected by the mere additional Weight oi the metal snsthe tension of the spring' 21, but not with sufcient force orweight to prevent engagenient of the shoulder 20 with the teeth 16 and 17 when the triggerretnrns to its normal positione It evident from the foregoing description that three causes operate to prevent the accidental or premature discharge `of the guniirst, the counterba'ance or overhanging of the upper portion ot the trigger in a plane the fact'that the rear end of `the pawl 5 is positiveiy forcedl est of engagement with lthe teeth er the searrtripping device 2 when the trigger is pulled to its firing position, and, third, the connce'rbalanoing effect of the pawl 3, suspended from the pivot 19,

The operation of invention is as follows: Nhen' the trigger is 'drawn' to the position seen in 3, said trigger is connterbalanced forward of its pivot bythe snperior-weight 'of the upper end or extension of said trigger, and in this position the pawl 3 is depressed to isongage the shoulder 2O from the seartripping de vice 2, therobyleaving a free trig ger, this being the iiringposition of said trigger. immediately upon* the discharge ofone the gun rearwardly, it being understood that the operator has a firm g upon the trigger. During this recoil the grip or'pull of opleased, and at the saine time the momentum of the recoil tends to force the upper end of tnr trigger 4forwzn'dlyand downwardly, thereby forcing the rear end of the vpavvl against the lower face of the triggeiwplate and holding the tooth 20 ont of the path of the teeth of the scar-tripping devicev 2. At the saine instant that the recoil effe-ets the forward movement of the opper end of the trigger lit also produces a similar eliectin the opposite direction upon the pan/l 3,'therely further preventing any connection between the trigger and scar-operating device'. Immediately and instantly after the recoil the reaction or involuntaryforward' movement of the gun is is at ythis precise period when the accidental er premature discharge of the gun would take place were it not forthe provision to obviate this effect as j ust described. 'As this reactionoperator is engaged with the trigger, and 'owing to thefact that the trigger andpawl have been previously forced out of action by therecoil and that considerable-movement oi the vbe again brought into engagement with'the teeth of the scar-operating device itis apparent that the accidental or premature discharge pended Afrom the pivot 19 and connteracting of the barrels effected by therear movement of the trigger a recoil `takes' place which forces produced, and it might be stated here that it -trigger is required before the shoulder 2O can" above andv forward of the'pivot 10; second, Y

erator npon the trigger is momentarily reary movement. is produced the 'finger of the -Oftheother ,barrel is absolutely prevented and that the action of the trigger' is always under .control olf, the operator.k

' tion.

` `'lhegstop lpavvl or detent k4 is preferably pivoted to the trigger-.plate at the` `rear of thesear-tripping: device 2 and is yieldingly held in engagementwith the teeth ot said device by a suitable spring 25, whereby the device 2 may be readily rotated in one direc- @lease their respective hammers and' is .pregvented from movement in theopposite directionf'or alternately actuating thejsears kto reare alternately arranged and correspond tov the scar-tripping teeth of both sets, the trigger being formed with a single sight-opening 25, which is beneath the trigger-plate 5 and always 'in sight, so that if, for instance, the left barrel is fired the letter R next. appears at the sightopening 25 and indicates that the'Y right barrel is still to be discharged. The operation of my invention will now be readily understood upon reference to the foregoing description and the accompanyingr drawings, and it will be noted that the. forms and arrangement of the trigger, scar-tripping device, and the pawls 3 and It may be modified without departing from the spirit of this invention. Therefore I do not limit myself to the precise construction and arrangement shown and' described.

Having thus described myinvention, What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patv vl. In a gun,a plurality of spring-actuated hammers and sears therefor, a trigger and means actuated thereby to trip the sears alternately, and means actuated by the recoil of the gun to disconnect the trigger from the former means.

' 2.A In a gun, a plurality of spring-actuated hammers and sears therefor, a trigger and means actuated thereby to trip the sears alternately,v and means acting en the trigger and operated by the recoil of the gun to disconnect the trigger from the former means. 3. In a gun, a plurality of spring-actuated hammers andsears therefor, revolnble mem vbers operating to trip the sears alternately, a trigger, means actuated by the trigger to rotate said members 'step by step, and means actuated-by the recoil of the gun'to'lforce the former means out of action during said recoil.

4. In a gun, a plnralityot spring-actuated hal'nmershnd sears therefor, a pivoted trigger connterbalanced to normally swing to its .tired position, and mechanism actuated by i hammers and sears therefor, rotatable mem` "bers 'the tiring movement of the trigger to alternately trip the sears.

5. In a gun, a pluralityof springactuated arranged toy trip the sears alternately,

and atrigger connterbalanced to normally swing to its iired position, and means actuated by the trigger to move the members step by Step?" A 1 Y i.

G; I n com bination'with the spring-'actuated hammers 'and 4 searsl lol? a gun, revoluble membersl adapted to'l tripthe sears alternately ateach successivemovement, atrigger having alpawl acting to engage and move the revoluble members as the trigger is successively pulled, said trigger having'aminde'- pendentmovement caused by its inertia and the recoil of thegun and means engaging and disconnecting the pawl from the members during such independent movement of the trigger.

7. In a gun the combination With springactuated hammers and sears therefor, of a rotary sear-tripping device and a pivoted trigger both having a common axis ot' movement, and means to transmit motion from the trigger to said device.

S.' In a gun the combination With spring? actuated hammers and sears therefor, a .piveted trigger having its upper end overbalanc.-v

ing its lower end in a direction opposite to the recoil, a pawl on the trigger beneath the pivot, and means actuated by the pawl. to trip the scars alternately at each pull on the of action as the trigger is moved tothe firing position.

9. In a gun, the combinationlwith springactuated hammers and sears therefor, a pivgo'ted trigger, a rotary device mounted on the pivot and movable independently ot' the trigger to alternately trip the sears, a pivoted' pawl on the trigger to rotate the device step by step, said trigger and pawl extending in opposite directions from Itheir pivots and means to throw the pawl ont of action as the trigger is moved to the tiring position.

l0. In a gun, a plurality of spring-actuated hammers and' scars` therefor, revoluble mem-- bers operating to trip the scars alternately', a trigger, a pawl on the trigger to engage and move the members step by step, and means to throw'the pawl out of action as the trigger -is moved to the tiring position.

ll. In a gun, a plurality of spring-actuated hammers and sears therefor, Vin combination trigger, and means for forcing said pawl out v` IOC IIO

with a pivoted trigger. and rotary members mounted on a common axis, said members operating to trip the sears alternately, and' means on the trigger to. rotate said members step by step pulled.

12. In combination with the spring-actuated hammers and sears o i.V a gun, a rotary part having a separate set of scar-tripping teeth foreach sear, the teeth of one set being opposite'the spaces in the other'set, a pivoted trigger having the same axis as said part, and a pawl pivoted to the trigger and actuated thereby to rotate the rotary part step by .step and to be forced out of action by the recoil of the gun and means to throw the pawl as the trigger is successively` out of action as the trigger is moved 4to the .firing position.

13. In combination with the spring-actu. ated hammersand sears of a gun, a pivoted trigger having a sight-opening, arotary seartripping device havingl Characters successively presented t-o said opening, and means on the trigger to rotate said device step by step at each successive pull of the trigger.

14:. In combination with the spring-actuated hammers and sears of a gun, a pivoted triggerrhaving a recess and a sight-opening inone of itswaiis, a rotary seartripping de- In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my :o

hand this 22d day of February, 1902.

CHARLES F. LEFEVER.

Witnesses:

H. E. CHASE, HOWARD I. DENIsoN. 

